Living With Food Allergies

Non-food Rewards for Children with Food Allergies

Written in collaboration with Gina M. Lee, M.Ed.

The CDC’s Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs recommends the “use of non-food incentives for prizes, gifts, and awards.” This practice is also recommended by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Other well-respected health organizations and institutions recommend this approach as well.

While a shift to non-food incentives may require slight changes to school traditions, there are potential benefits. This practice can help ease anxiety surrounding the serving of food at school and the subsequent chance of accidental exposure to allergens for children with food allergies. Below is a list of low cost or no cost rewards that can be used instead of food.

No Cost Rewards

Allow extra time for reading, computer, art, games

Enjoy class lesson or reading time outside

Allow child to choose class activity or game

Give a “no homework” pass or no homework for the class

Present certificate of achievement

Give free time at the end of the day

Have a class sing-along

Create class coupons with special privileges

Allow child to choose music to play for the class

Child or teacher can read a favorite book to the class

Allow child to wear something fun to school according to a theme: pajama day, hat day, sports day, color day, pattern day (for class or grade)

Allow child to earn prizes or gift certificates donated by local businesses

Have a reading party (children bring blankets to sit on and read favorite books)

Allow child to choose a poem, short story, or joke to read to the class

Create a class story (go around the room and each child contributes a line to the story)

Allow child to use a camera or iPad to create a class or personal picture collage of school activities

Low Cost Rewards

Verify that these items do not contain allergens for any of the students. For example, some of these items are made of latex and should not be offered to a student with a latex allergy.

Awards or medals

Books, bookmarks

Bracelets

Bubbles

Class craft

Crayons

Finger puppets

Glow sticks

Grab bag

Necklaces

Notepads

Pencils

Pencil cases, grips, sharpeners, toppers, erasers

Playing cards

Ribbons

Rings

Rubber balls

Stickers

Sticky notes

Stress balls

Tote bags

Trinkets/toys: slinkies, small figurines, spinning tops, yo-yos

“The best reward we can give our children is our time and attention.” -Gina M. Lee, M.Ed.

Rewards from the Heart

Give the child extra attention: ask about outside interests, smile, or give a pat on the back

Give verbal praise that is specific

Allow child to sit by a friend

Attend an after-school activity of the child’s to show you care

Allow child to share a special item or talent with the class

Make child the “Student of the Day,” “Super Kid,” “Line Leader,” or “Star of the Day”

Allow child to sit in a special seat

Allow child to write or draw on the board

Allow child to do class (or school) morning announcements

Recognize child/class achievements during morning announcements, in a school newsletter, on a school (or class) bulletin board or on the school website

Allow child to help out with a lesson or be a teacher’s helper (hand out papers, put away supplies, etc.)

Give child an important responsibility

Have each classmate write a compliment about the

child, create compliment book for the child to bring home (index cards on a ring work well)

Allow child to read or help out in another class or a younger class

Choose an incentive based on interest (i.e. allow a child that likes to draw to create a class or school sign/poster)

Write a positive note directly to the child or send a positive note home to child’s parents

Allow child to eat lunch with a favorite teacher, principal or other staff member

Allow child to invite a special guest to the classroom (as a guest reader or to play a game with the class)